Cordless Tool Batteries

[IndyIan]

Orange Ryobi for me... Rigid, seems to last well enough and if it doesn't they give me a new one.
My drill is from the end of the ni-cad era, and one battery wouldn't hold a good charge after 5-6 years, so they gave me 2 new lithium batteries and a charger for them.
I had a Milwaukie drill before that, but its batteries died after 3-4 years, and I wasn't going to pay more for 2 batteries than I bought the whole kit for, so I was done with them...
We now have a leaf blower, trimmer, 1/2" impact, and recently the little 12" chainsaw for in the car with a 8 aH battery, and all can use the same batteries. The saw isn't super fast or powerful at 18V but does cut 6" stuff well enough, and I cut some 20" hardwood much faster than I could by hand!

 

[k1xv]

For the longest time I thought that Makita tools were in some way associated with a famous retired NHL hockey player.

Then I realized his name was Stan Mikita.

 

[UncleDave]

I don't think there will be any more problems than with other brands. Makita is doing their best to slowly but surely drop the 18v line.

I don't know if they are going to drop it it's still a cash cow, but they certainly slowed down on 18 to focus on 40.

They just came out with a redesigned slicker impact with more centered controls and two new LXt batteries - a 9 amp and an 12 AH.

lost of stuff I do has me on ladder or holding my arms at full extension with a tool in hand and in this situations Id rather have an 18V tool in hand than a 40V tool.

 

[UncleDave]

DeWalt!

Im good with dewalt for coded tools, but havent had good luck with their cordless stuff.

I briefly moved away from makita to dewalt in the (14V?) series with a saw and a drill.

I built a shed, and a fairly large deck and they were worn out.

 

[UncleDave]

I completely understand your point.
I use my tools heavily. Daily. For automotive repairs, painting and farm chores. I do all my own carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting etc. I cover my battery powered tools with fitted clear plastic bags when working on engines and grease.
But it's still private use and I'm the only one using them.

I use 2 stroke gas powered lawn tools a good bit too.

I understand cheap chinese tools are just that. So I use them accordingly. Electronics is my hobby. So I understand what destroys battery tools and handle them accordingly. Example...if I'm pulling a motor from a vehicle and using my battery socket driver, if it gets warm I'll grab the other and let the first cool down. I have two of many of the commonly used tools for that reason.

It's also likely your top tier battery tools were also made in China.

Another thing I like about HF tools is that they are pretty good about having replacement parts available. Sometimes you have to order the part and wait so on some tools I'll order the part or parts I feel will need replacing first and have it on hand.
I use the hell out of their orbital 6 inch sander when I'm painting a vehicle. But they're only $24.95 and I'm getting my moneys worth.

Observation....some of their Bauer tools are the same internals as their Hercules Premium brand. I also have some of their Hercules 20v tools. Their 20v tools really aren't bad. The Bauer and Hercules drills are stout.

Internally what separates the top tier from the cheap tools is the plastics used, the metals used and their plating process, motor windings (wire gauge and copper or aluminum for example) and of course, design. Top tier usually are better in all these categories.
But care for the tools and how they are handled can make a big difference too.

That said, spending a lot more does not always equate to getting something worth that difference.

If you're using your tools professionally in a business I would def go top tier.
I'll let you know if and when they fail if it's not just worn out brushes.
Just my 2 cents.

China doenst necessarily mean bad, if it's managed properly and specs are adhered to.

Id agree spending more doesn't always get you more and if these strike th right balance for you its good to know and Im interested to follow your journey.

A wall of cordless tools from anyone is 100X cooler than an empty wall.

Are these tools brushed?

 

[MaximumMini]

I recently had a massive struggle finding a decent quality battery for my Makita 12V drill motor, and a Dewalt 18V hammer drill. OEM brand batteries costs more than a new drill/battery/charger kit, and the aftermarket battery market is a snake den filled with garbage quality china junk. Makita 12V and DeWalt 18V seem to be obsolete platforms, so no doubt that contributed to the problem.

Fortunately, the voltage race seems to have stabilized to some extent, so the battery platforms are more stable.

I'd be hesitant to get in bed with some store brand tool set, like Harbor Freight, because you have no idea how long battery support will last.

Well,
I build my own batteries. I have bins full of various BMSs on hand for most configurations. it's what I do.
Once I buy a battery pack, I just rebuild that pack when the capacity drops below my preferences.
If I want to make a 5Ah battery pack into an 8Ah pack...easy peasy.
I even add my own temperature sensors to my packs or customize them how I see fit.
If you can't do that....do what I did...learn how to. knowledge is power.

It really goes a long way in reducing BPTA.......battery powered tool anxiety

I had a $80.00 battery pack go dead on me last year that was only a few months old BECAUSE I neglected to charge it for over a month.
Sneaky way to sell more batteries
The pack voltage was low, but not below the cell damage threshold.
What happened is the BMS went into safety mode to prevent a fire. I opened that sucker up, reset the BMS (or did I replace it? <scratches chin>, anyway got it fully functional and it's serving me well to this day.

 

[MaximumMini]

Im good with dewalt for coded tools, but havent had good luck with their cordless stuff.

I briefly moved away from makita to dewalt in the (14V?) series with a saw and a drill.

I built a shed, and a fairly large deck and they were worn out.

20v is a much different beast.
The higher the voltage, the less current you need. Less current = less heat.

 

[UncleDave]

20v is a much different beast.
The higher the voltage, the less current you need. Less current = less heat.

Yeah I get that - thing is back when I bought them, I bought the max voltage they sold.

It was actually 18 volts.

The batteries didnt fail me, the tools did.
The hammer came apart on the drill, and the main bearing on the saw wore out and the blade started deflecting and developed a wobble.

Here's the saw - before going into the circular filing cabinet.

Ive never worn out a Makita tool beyond economical repair - that said I'm a high end home/farm/ hobby/ builder mechanic so dont push them like a contractor would - but If I wear it out in a year, I dont see how a guy using them for a living wouldnt.

 

[MaximumMini]

Yeah I get that - thing is back when I bought them, I bought the max voltage they sold.

It was actually 18 volts.

The batteries didnt fail me, the tools did.
The hammer came apart on the drill, and the main bearing on the saw wore out and the blade started deflecting and developed a wobble.

Here's the saw - before going into the circular filing cabinet.

Ive never worn out a Makita tool beyond economical repair - that said I'm a high end home/farm/ hobby/ builder mechanic so dont push them like a contractor would - but If I wear it out in a year, I dont see how a guy using them for a living wouldnt.

View attachment 276698

Well, yeah...nothing lasts forever especially when it comes to battery operated stuff. Not even the very best of tools.
Maybe you got a decent service life out of them.

 

[Nessism1]

You can buy the adapter thingie for the DW and use 20V batteries, and maybe just switch to 20V and use your olde drill too

That's exactly what I did. My DeWalt weed whacker died, for the second time, so the battery was repurposed with excellent results.

 

[Pablo]

Yeah I get that - thing is back when I bought them, I bought the max voltage they sold.

It was actually 18 volts.

The batteries didnt fail me, the tools did.
The hammer came apart on the drill, and the main bearing on the saw wore out and the blade started deflecting and developed a wobble.

Here's the saw - before going into the circular filing cabinet.

Ive never worn out a Makita tool beyond economical repair - that said I'm a high end home/farm/ hobby/ builder mechanic so dont push them like a contractor would - but If I wear it out in a year, I dont see how a guy using them for a living wouldnt.

View attachment 276698

I wouldn't compare that antique 18V junk to the new (2009+ (hahahha) +) 20VMax DW tools. I have 4 different size 20V Max DW saws that are solid and strong and I have used them pretty hard.

 

[UncleDave]

I wouldn't compare that antique 18V junk to the new (2009+ (hahahha) +) 20VMax DW tools. I have 4 different size 20V Max DW saws that are solid and strong and I have used them pretty hard.

Good to hear. The yellow trash can is the second fullest at the repair shop.

I totally get that there is no comparison performance wise, but Im still using a 30 year old makita

If the longevity let me down then, why would I trust it wouldnt let me down again?

I'm skeptical, but poeple really like their current tools.

 

[zzyzzx]

A avoid cordless tool battery issues by only using corded tools.

 

[MaximumMini]

A avoid cordless tool battery issues by only using corded tools.

Materially factual......but......uh....no

 

[MaximumMini]

Good to hear. The yellow trash can is the second fullest at the repair shop.

I totally get that there is no comparison performance wise, but Im still using a 30 year old makita

If the longevity let me down then, why would I trust it wouldnt let me down again?

I'm skeptical, but poeple really like their current tools.

"30 year old"
That sums it up nicely.
They do not make things like they used to. Today's motto = "Planned self destruct so customer buys repeatedly"

It's kinda the consumers fault. ppl buy cheap chinese HF crap to save a few pennies which puts quality manufacturers in a tight spot. Who wants to pay $250 for an item that claims to do the same thing for $50 ?

ppl just don't think.

 

[UncleDave]

"30 year old"
That sums it up nicely.
They do not make things like they used to. Today's motto = "Planned self destruct so customer buys repeatedly"

For sure.
That said my Makita products have all been super high quality.
That drill in the pict Im holding has done 10x the work my dewalt did and is showing wear, but isnt close to worn out.

Lots of guys just need stuff that last a few jobs and are happy.
It may be that a guy only really uses the thing a few times a year and if he gets 100 uses he's good with that.
It's hard to know what will last and what wont so I stick with what I know and see first hand.

 

[cptbarkey]

Many folk will give naive advice to stick with one battery line, all that gets you is compromises and very high costs. I have Ryobi, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Hercules and Bauer tools spread a cross a spectrum of 1) tools I rely on 2) tools I use infrequently 3) nice to have.

For example, I was absolutely not going to buy a battery hand planer and spend over $100. I found the Bauer planer and it shreds. I will probably use it a few times a year at most.

Dewalt won in general for most of my woodworking tools, none have failed and I've built two buildings and a few structures in the past year.

All I can really advise is buy now vs later (like today), tariff stuff especially at HF is already cranking up as of last week.

 

[Trav]

"30 year old"
That sums it up nicely.
They do not make things like they used to. Today's motto = "Planned self destruct so customer buys repeatedly"

It's kinda the consumers fault. ppl buy cheap chinese HF crap to save a few pennies which puts quality manufacturers in a tight spot. Who wants to pay $250 for an item that claims to do the same thing for $50 ?

ppl just don't think.

Sorry I disagree. I think it is more like corporate greed not that they are being put in a "tight spot" by consumers. Power tool manufacturers have been giving customers a dry rectal exam for many years even decades before brands like Hercules even came along.
Say what you want but if you watch the video I posted it is clear that the Hercules battery is just as good, has the same warranty and has a walk in warranty exchange.

 

[MaximumMini]

Sorry I disagree. I think it is more like corporate greed not that they are being put in a "tight spot" by consumers. Power tool manufacturers have been giving customers a dry rectal exam for many years even decades before brands like Hercules even came along.
Say what you want but if you watch the video I posted it is clear that the Hercules battery is just as good, has the same warranty and has a walk in warranty exchange.

Note to myself...Do NOT read Travs post while having any beverage !!
Good stuff Mr. Trav. I can't argue your point.

One thing.....
I did have a 3 month old Hercules battery go into sleep mode on me after a short while. I had to open the battery pack and individually charge the batteries inside to reset the BMS. Just be aware of that. Might have just been that one battery pack. My advice, fwiw.....keep em charged.

Having been inside many of these battery packs, many are basically the same circuitry and components.
The cells are the heart of the pack. A capacity test on a new pack will easily tell you what you have.

 

[UncleDave]

I'll let you know if and when they fail if it's not just worn out brushes.

I'm surprised these tools aren't brushless?